Canning.



M. E. DUNKLEY.

CANNING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, 1914.

Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

8 wvewtoz wad moon q /r M. E. DUNKLEY.

CANNING.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.3, I9l4.

Patented July 2, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Shun tot 9 Q 9 6 e 1 1 t w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MELVILLE E. DUNKLEY, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

CANNING.

Application filed August 3, 1914.

To all whom it may concern vBe it known that I, MELVILLE E. DUNK: LEY a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Canning, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in canning.

The objects of this invention are:

First, to provide an improved canning process in which the material to be canned is cooked and sterilized, delivered into sterile cans in a sterile atmosphere, and sterile tops are delivered to and sealed on said cans, all of said operations being conducted in a sterile atmosphere.

Second, to provide an improved canning process in which reviously sterilized material is delivered into cans, tops are put on thecans and sealed thereon, all of said operations being carried on under live steam thus maintaining a sterile atmosphere and insuring complete and perfect sterilization.

Third, to provide an improved canning machine in which the material is sterilized, the cans to be filled are carried through a steam chest filled with live steam, the cans being sterilized and filled with the sterilized material, provided with a sterilized top and the tops sealed on said cans within said steam chest whereby complete and perfect sterilization is insured.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and operation will definitel appear from the detailed description to ollow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A machine by which I contemplate carrying out my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompan ing drawing forming a part of this speci cation in which:

Figure I is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 11 of Figs. II and III.

Fig. II is an enlarged top plan view of the machine, the sterilizers and storage tank being omitted and the can filling device being shown in section on the line 22 of Fig. I the front part of this machine being omitted for convenience in illustration.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented July 2, 1918.

Serial No. 854,643.

Fig. III is an enlarged top plan view showing the front part of the machine which is omitted from Fig. II.

In the drawing, similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Considering the numbered parts of the drawin 1, 1 are the sterilizers in which the materia to be canned is cooked and sterilized before being delivered to the cans. Each of these sterilizers is filled through a hopper 2 provided with a cut-off valve. The sterilizer is also provided with an exhaust head 4 provided with the usual baflle plates to prevent the liquid contents from elng blown out of said exhaust, and with the cut-off valve 5. The sterilizer is surrounded by a steam jacket 6 into which steam is introduced under pressure for the purpose of heating the contents to the sterilizing point. Suitably journaled in the top of the sterilizer is the shaft 7 driven by a sprocket 9 suitably connected with a source of power and provided with a plurality of paddles 8. These paddles are for a 'tating the material in the sterilizer and for eepin it constantly moving so that it will not stic to the walls and scorch. The sterilizer is provided with a gage 10, a pressure gage 11 and a thermometer 12. I provide as many of these sterilizers as is necessary to supply the canning machine properly and each of them is connected by means of a pipe 13 having a cut-ofi' valve 14, with a storage tank 15, from which storage tank the sterilized material is delivered to the cans.

This storage tank is also provided with a steam jacket 16 into which cold water may be introduced to cool the contents or steam if necessary to raise it to the desired oint. A shaft 17 is suitablyjournaled in said tank and said shaft is provided with a plurality of paddles 18 for agitating the contents, the shaft 17 being driven by a sprocket 19 connected with a suitable source of power. The tank is also provided with a gage 20 and a thermometer 21. There is a suitable opening in the. lower end of said tank which is connected with a measuring device 24 which measures out and delivers to each can as it is brou ht beneath it, a quantity of material sufficient to fill the same.

I provide a steam chest 23 of approximately the height of the cans, said steam chest 23 being Supported upon standards 25, 25. At both ends of said steam chest are provided supports 26, 26, which carry the sprocket wheels 27, 27, carrying the endless chain conveyer 28, which is provided at suitable intervals with upstanding lugs 29. At 1 Ways 32, 32 upon which the bottom of the can 33 rests as it is carried through the steam chest. The conveyer-28 runs between said ways and the upstanding lugs-29 project so as to catch the bottom of each of the cans to-carry. them through the steam chest.

Steam is introduced into the steam chest by means of a. steam pipe 34 provided with a plurality of branches 35 so spaced that,

in the operation of the machine, as the cans are carried forward with an intermittent movement, a can is stopped directly beneath each of the branches 35 so the steam under.

high pressure may-be injected directly into the can to thoroughly sterilize thesame. I

- also provide a steam pipe 36 provided with a plurality of branches 37 toward the. rear end of the steam chest so that steam under high pressure is injected upon the cans as they are about to leave the steamy chest.

. This insures the steam chest being filled with live steam under pressure throughout its entirelength so that as the cans are carried through said steam chest they are enveloped by live steam. A plurality of drain pipes 38, 38 are provided in the bottom of said steam chest to carry ofi the condensed moisture.

Power, is applied to the machine by means of the driving pulley 39 which drives the.

shaft 40 and the longitudinally extending shaft 42 is driven'by av bevel gear connection 41 with the shaft 40. The longitudinally extending shaft 44 is also suitably con 7 nected so as to rotate with the shaft 42. 24

is the measuring mechanism which at predetermined intervals measures a quantlty. of material from thestorage tank sufficient to fill one of the cans and delivers it to the can which is brought into line with the discharge opening of said measuring device.

This mechanism is operated by means of i the connections 43 and 45 with the shafts 42 and 44 respectively, and said mechanism is so timed that as the cans are brought forward with an intermittent movement and each can comes to rest beneath the discharge opening of the measuring mechanism 24, this mechanism will be operated to deliver the required quantity of sterilized material into the sterzilized can which has been brought into position to receive it.

From the measuring and delivering mech- 1 anism the'cans are carried forward by the intermittent movement of the chain 28 to the top feeding mechanism 46. The tops which are supplied to the cans are carried by the cylinders 47 47, which are mounted upon the rotatable turn table 49, the tops being delivered by the mechanism from one of said cylinders while the other'cylinder is being filled With fresh tops by an operator. Steam is introduced into these cylinders 47 by means of a steam pipe 48 so that the tops which are to be placed upon thecans are thoroughly sterilized before they are delivered. This delivery mechanism, as each can is brought beneath it, separates one top from the supply of tops and deposits it upon the can. This operation is conducted entirely in the steam chest so that the can and top are entirely enveloped by live steam.

From said top feeding mechanism the cans are carried forward by the intermittent movement of the chain to the sealing mechanism 50, which at the properinterval fastens and hermetically-seals on said cans the sterilized tops previously placed thereon. This operation is also conducted in the presence of live steam and under sterile conditio'ns., From "this mechanism the-cans are carried beneath the steam pipe 37, 37 and discharged from the rear end of the machine. v t

I have not particularly described the measuring mechanismi24, the top feedingv mechanism 46, nor the sealing mechanism 50. Mechanisms of this typeare all old and well known in the art and any one of these old and Well known mechanisms suited to this urpose may be used in this connection. he particular mechanism which is used to accomplish these operations forms no part of my invention.

In carrying out my invention the material to be canned is introduced into the sterilizer 1 through the hopper 2. Steam is intro duced into the steam jacket 6, the pressure and temperature at which said steam is introduced varying according to the steriliz-- ing temperature desired, depending upon the material which is being. sterilized. It will be apparent that other methods of ap plying heat, such as preheated air, may be used 1n place of steam. The temperature is maintained until sterilization is accomplished. The revolving shaft 7 provided with the paddles 8 violently agitates the contents so as to insure-uniform heating. This also keeps the material from sticking to the walls of the sterilizer and scorching.

While I have shown and, described steam jacketed sterilizers, nevertheless for some: kinds of work the introduction of live steam construction to prevent the liquid contents from being blownout through the exhaust head when the valve is opened. The valve rial.

14 in the discharge pipe 13 is then opened and the contents of the sterilizer discharged into the storage tank 15. The jacket 16 of,

the storage tank 15 is provided so that cold water or steam may be introduced for controlling the temperature of the sterilized material contained therein. This tank 'is also provided with a revolvingshaft carry-.

ing paddles to thoroughly agitate the mate- In, the lower end of the storage tank there is provided the discharge opening 22 leadin into. a measuring and feeding device 2 The steam chest 23 is suitably supported below said hopper, and chain 28 carries the cans to be filled through said steam chest, the stop movement giving the chain an intermittent forward movement. The cans are placed upon the ways 32 and the lugs 29 on the chain engage said cans to carry them forward through the steam chest.

As the cans are carried forward in the steam chest they are brought to rest beneath the steam pipes 35 which are supplied with steam under pressure and at a sterilizing temperature. This steam is discharged in jets directly into the interior of the cans so that all the air in the cans is forced out and they are completely filled with live steam. This completely sterilizes the cans and also fills this end of the steam chest with live steam.

Passing from the steam jets the empty cans are brought to rest beneath the measuring device 24 which measures and delivers to the sterilized cans from the stora e tank a quantity of sterilized material su cient to fill the cans. These cans have been previously sterilized by the steam jets 35 and the steam chest in which they are disposed is filled with live steam.

From the measuring device, the cans are carried forward by the chain to the top feedingdevice 46 by means of which, as each can is brought to rest, a top is separated from the supply of tops and is deposited upon the can. These tops are stored in cylinders 47 and steam is admitted under pressure and at a sterilizing temperature to these cylinders so that the tops are thoroughly sterilized before they are deposited upon the cans. Some of this steam also finds its way into the steam chest 23 so that this pipe also serves as an additional means for supplying live steam to the steam chest.

From the top feeding mechanism the cans are carried forward by the intermittent movement of the chain to the sealing device 50. which at proper, intervals operates to fasten'and hermetically seal the sterilized tops upon the sterilized cans and contents. This operation is also conducted within the steamy chest in the presence of live steam. Beyond the sealing device I provide a steam pipe 36 through which steam is supplied un-. der pressure, said steampipe belng pro.- vided with a plurality of branches 37 discharging into the steam chest. By means of these steam pipes I insure the presence of live steam throughout the entire length of the steam chest so that the cans during their entire progress through the latter are envel oped and surrounded by live steam and are in a sterile atmosphere. The introduction of this livesteam displaces and keeps out the non-sterile air. At the rear end of the steam chest the cans are removed from the machine.

By means'of my improved proces of canning the entire operation of cooking and sterilizing the material to be canned, deliv' ering .said material to the sterilized cans, placing sterilized tops upon said cans and sealing said tops is carried on under live steam and is entirely automatic. In view of the fact that this operation is carried on under live steam it is absolutely impossible for any living germ to come in contact with the material and in view of the fact that it is thoroughly sterilized in this manner it is not necessary to sterilize the material to be canned after it is sealed in the can, as has been customary heretofore. By means of this improved process the quality of the product is greatly improved and the time necessary for carrying it out is greatly lessened.

I am aware that the particular embodiment which I have here shown is susceptible of considerable variation without departing from the spirit of my invention and, hence, I do not wish to be restricted to the same. I have found, however, that this particular form is to be preferred, and, therefore, I desire to claim the same specifically as well as broadly as indicated by my appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. ha machine of the class described, the combination of suitable base members. a steam chest supported thereon, means for supplying jets of steam to said chest, :1. chain having an' intermittent motion carrying the cans to be filled through said steam chest, said cans being brought to rest beneath said steam jets, an opening in said steam chest beneath which said, cans come to rest, a filling device discharging ameasured quantity of sterile material through said opening at predetermined intervals, a sterilizer supplysupplying a plurality of steam jetsthereto, an opening in said steam chest, meansdeliin I ing said filling device, a second opening in said steam chest beneath ,which said cans come to rest, a mechanism for feeding tops through said opening to the cans, a third" opening in the steam chest-beneath which said'cans come to rest,-and a mechanismfor fasteningwsaid tops to the cans, said steam chest being filled with live steamthroughout its length, all coacting substantially "as described forth purposespecified.

2. In a structure of the class described, the

combination with a plurality of sterilizers,

a storage tank connected with said sterilizers, a steam chest suitably supported beneath saidtank, means carrying'the cans to be filled through said. steam chest,a steam pipe in the front end of said steam chest ering material from said tank through; said opening into the cans to be filled, a second opening in said steam chest, means for sterilizing the tops for said cans and delivv ering said tops through said opening to' the cans to .be filled, a third'opening in the steam chest, and means' operating through said opening to seal the tops to the filled cans, and a second steam pipe supplying a plurality of jets to said steam-chest,.all coacting substantially as described for the purpose specified.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a plurality of sterilizers, a storage tank connected With said sterilizers,

a steam chest suitably supported beneath, said tank, means carrying the cans to bev filled through said steam. chest, means supplying a plurality of steam jetsthereto, automatic means deliveringfrom said tank into the cans to be filled, means for sterilizing thetop-s for said cans and delivering said tops to the cans to be filled, all coacting" substantially as, described for the purpose specified. I

I 4:. In astructure of the class described, the

combination With a sterilizer, a steam chest suitably supported beneath Y said sterilizer,

means carryingthe cans to be filled through 'i said steam chest, means supplying a pluralv ity of steam jets thereto,means delivering from said sterilizer into the cans to be filled, means for sterilizingthe tops for said cans and automatically delivering said tops to the cans to be filled, all coacting substantially as I 

